


Letting Go

by sassy_cissa



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Established Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, Getting to Know Each Other, M/M, Older Draco, Older Harry, Tiny bit of Angst, parenting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-30
Updated: 2019-06-30
Packaged: 2020-05-31 00:52:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,418
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19415071
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sassy_cissa/pseuds/sassy_cissa
Summary: Harry isn't sure his son's choice for a partner is the best one.





	Letting Go

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MaesterChill](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaesterChill/gifts).



> Written with love for my dear friend, Em. Just a little something for you on your special day. I hope it makes you smile and that you know how very important you are to me. ♥
> 
> Thanks for oldenuf2nb for, as always, making me sound so much better than I really am and to the Squad, who are the best support system ever!!

Harry stood staring into his wardrobe, finally pulling out an old brown sweater. He was just about to pull it over his head, when Draco hurried into their bedroom. 

"Sorry I'm late. Damn old Mr Fernsby came in right before closing and needed his salve. Of course, I'd already put it in the back under a Stasis, figuring he wasn't coming in. You know the man does not shut up, so that was another ten minutes." He pulled his shirt from his trousers and began to unfasten them as he talked. "And you are not wearing that mangy old thing. I swear I binned it the last time you attempted to wear it."

"I like it," Harry said stubbornly. "It's comfortable."

"It's ugly as fuck," Draco replied, pushing his pants down his legs. 

Harry turned to argue, but the words wouldn't come. He looked at Draco as he bent to pull his socks from his long, thin feet. It simply amazed him that even after living together for nearly two years, the man continued to take his breath away. 

Draco pushed past him to the wardrobe. He shuffled things back and forth before pulling out a pair of black jeans and a grey jumper. "These," he said, handing the items to Harry.

"I'm not wearing those jeans," Harry complained. "They're too tight."

"They are not tight," Draco admonished, unbuttoning his shirt and letting it slide down his arms. "They actually fit you the way they're supposed to and not like your clothing was purchased for a baby Hippogriff." He turned and looked at Harry, noticing for the first time since he came in, the pinched expression on the man's face.

"Harry," Draco asked, taking a step closer, "what's wrong? This can't just be about what you're wearing."

Harry shrugged, turning his face away. "Nothing, it's fine."

"It is not fine. We've cancelled on them twice already – once because of your job and once because of mine. They're going to think we don't want to have dinner in their new place."

"Maybe I don't want to," Harry muttered. 

"Why in the name of Morgana's saggy tits not? That makes no sense."

"Of course it's all fine with you." Harry shot back. "It's not your son setting up house with a...a lothario." 

Draco paused, blinked several times. "Did you just call your godson, and my cousin, a whore?" He shook his head and chuckled. "Please tell me you're not serious."

Harry stood, folding his arms tight against his chest. 

"Merlin's beard! You are serious." Draco too Harry's chin in one long fingered hand, making him look up into his eyes. "Harry, they've been dating for nearly six months. For god's sake – we moved in after only dating three weeks. Everyone thought we'd gone 'round the twist. Well, save Pansy who knew we were totally arse over tit for each other, but the point is…" He took a deep breath. "They're in love. You can see it when they're together."

Harry pulled his chin away. "Teddy's been in _love_ how many times before? He's left a trail of broken hearts from here to Cardiff. Is it wrong I don't want my son to be the next one?"

Draco gave him a long look, then pulled Harry into his arms. "No. How much you love your children is one of the many reasons I adore you. But I do think you're wrong this time. You know that James has had a thing for Teddy since they were in Hogwarts. And I'm quite sure that Teddy didn't act on that because you're James' father."

"I know." Harry sounded defeated when he spoke. He rested his forehead on the smooth skin of Draco's shoulder. "I just want my kids to be happy. I know James thinks he's in love with Teddy and I know Teddy thinks he loves James. But what if they find out after living together for a month they're not in love. What then?"

"Are you sure you're not a Hufflepuff, you great buffoon?" Draco had maneuvered them so they were sitting side by side on the edge of the bed. He ran his fingers through Harry's hair. "James is twenty-two. You have to let him make his own mistakes." 

"I know. I hate it, but I know" He lifted his head and glared at his partner. "And I don't care if Teddy is my godson – if he hurts James in any way, I'll personally castrate him with a rusty spoon. Not to mention, I'm Head Auror. I know at least fifteen different ways to commit murder and get away with it." 

Draco shuddered. "Unnecessarily graphic and a bit frightening. Teddy is not going to intentionally hurt James, ever. It took James for fucking ever just to get Teddy to go out with him. Now, take off that ugly, godawful fucking jumper, and put on the clothes I picked out for you while I take a quick shower." 

He paused at the bathroom door. "When I come out of here, we're going to go have dinner with your son and my cousin like grown-ups."

Harry stuck his tongue out at Draco as he closed the bathroom door. 

"I saw that!" Draco shouted. "Stop behaving like a brat and get changed."

Harry grumbled, but he pulled off the comfortable jumper. Holding it in his hand for a moment, he finally wadded it up and hid it behind his work robes. If Draco said he'd bin it, he meant it and Harry wasn't taking any chances.

hdhdhdhdhd

Conversation flowed around Harry in Teddy and James' tiny dining room in their flat just off of Diagon Alley. Draco was having an animated conversation with Ted about his new contracts with Madam Malkin's, designing and making formal dress robes for her shops in Hogsmeade and Diagon. It wasn't really a conversation Harry could even contribute to; all anyone had to do was look at him to know he knew absolutely nothing about silk, 'aubergine', whatever the fuck that was, and 'top stitching with jet'. Everyone but Draco had been utterly shocked when Teddy became a formal robe designer; Draco claimed he'd known since Ted was four and drew pictures of lovely men in flowing gowns on the walls of his bedroom, and cut patterns out of his Andromeda's linen tablecloths. Harry told Draco he was a liar; he'd fully expected the bright-eyed, funny kid to make new products for George's WWW locations.

Harry stared at his plate and ate the excellent roast James had made for dinner. Of all his kids, James was the only cook in the bunch, and Harry recognized both Molly's gravy recipe, and her dinner rolls. It was clear his son had gone to a lot of trouble making the meal, and he kept shooting his dad anxious looks across the table. Harry knew he was going to have bruises on his ankle and calf from where Draco kept kicking him with his fucking pointy toed boots, but he just couldn't seem to get over his fear that Ted would use James and dump him, and it made it almost impossible for him to look either of them in the eye. 

He heard his dinner companions finishing their dinner, and laid his fork and knife across his plate, wiping his lips with the nice black linen napkin that had been curled into a clear green glass napkin ring. He heard Ted's chair scoot back, and saw the sleeve of his blue button down as he picked up Harry's plate.

"Harry?"

He couldn't simply ignore the fact Ted had spoken to him, not if he wanted to be able to walk. Draco kicked him again, and Harry shot him a glare before looking up. He saw James watching him first, his expression dangerously close to what it had been just before he cried when he was a kid, and Harry felt like a complete and total arse. He averted his eyes to see Ted standing behind James, two plates in his hands and steady, watchful expression on his handsome face. Harry had often wondered if this is what Remus had looked like before life, and Greyback, had left their mark. Of course, Remus never had turquoise blue hair with white stripes.

"Could you give me a hand with the dishes, please?"

"I think that's a brilliant idea." Draco pushed his chair back, picked up his wine glass and the half a bottle of Shiraz that sat in the middle of the table. "Come along, James," he said with a smile. "You can introduce me to your new owl."

James was apprenticing at Eyelops Owl Emporium as part of his veterinary internship, and Harry was surprised he'd only brought home one owlet. So far. 

James looked between his lover and his father, his anxiety written across his face. 

"It's all right," Draco said brightly. "Your father knows I have absolutely no compunction about hexing his prick and balls up his arse if he harms a hair on Teddy's head."

Harry gave him a startled, outraged look. "Draco! And _I'm_ unnecessarily graphic?" 

"You're an idiot. Come along, James."

Draco caught James' sleeve and pulled him into the sitting room, and Harry huffed but picked up the other two plates, following Ted reluctantly into the small kitchen. He found his godson leaning against the counter, his hands propped on either side of his narrow hips.

Harry put the dishes in the sink and turned on the hot water. 

"Harry."

Harry pushed up the sleeves of his grey jumper. "I thought we were going to do dishes." He knew his tone was sharp, but for the life of him he couldn't seem to help it.

"Harry." Ted repeated, more emphatically. He took out his wand and set the dishwashing charm Harry had taught him when he'd been fresh out of Hogwarts. Harry had to take a step back when an over enthusiastic dish cloth began to scrub plates and soapy water splashed out of the sink. "Whoops."

Harry gave him a dark look, but Teddy held his eyes. "I really want to talk to you."

Harry leaned against their refrigerator, which separated him from Ted by perhaps four feet. "So – talk."

Teddy took a deep breath. "I know what's bothering you," he said softly.

"Do you?" 

Ted sighed. "You aren't going to make this easy for me, are you?"

"Absolutely not." Harry gave him a flat stare.

"I guess I deserve that." Ted crossed his arms. "Listen, I know I have a terrible reputation and I won't lie; I deserve most of it."

"Just most of it?"

He shrugged one square shoulder. "Yes, just most of it." He didn't look away from Harry's eyes, and if he was a suspect Harry was questioning, he would believe Ted wasn't lying to him. "I know you're worried about James, and afraid I might hurt him."

"You aren't wrong."

"I know. But see, I know something you don't, Harry. I know why James is different from the others."

"And how is that?"

Ted's blue eyes were wide, and sincere. "Because I love him, Harry. So much. Do you know how long I've been fighting this, because I knew what you'd think?" Harry shook his head. "I think James was sixteen. I'd come home for Christmas, and there he was, so beautiful I couldn't get a deep breath…"

Harry went still, remembering when he'd looked up in their bedroom that afternoon and Draco had simply taken his breath away. More than anything Teddy had or probably would say, Harry could relate to that. He felt the tight muscles in his shoulders begin to relax. 

"But even feeling the way I did about him, I stayed away, because I knew he was too young, and I guess I knew what everyone thought of me. But James just… wouldn't give up on me, I guess. And he's so brilliant, Harry. So smart, and clever, and I love him, and I'd rather die than hurt him."

They stared into one another's eyes for what felt like a very long time, and Harry finally took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Understand, if you do hurt him, I won't be forgiving."

"I know." One corner of Ted's lips quirked up, a dimple creasing his cheek. His mother's dimples. Harry sighed softly. He should have known he'd never be immune to those dimples.

"And I really hope you keep that promise." Harry let his arms drop to his sides and lowered his voice. "I kind of like my prick and balls right where they are."

Teddy's grin widened. "Not to put too fine a point on it, but I imagine Draco does, too."

"Draco heard that," Draco called from the sitting room. "Don't make me sorry I stood up for you." Harry shook his head. 

"Ears like a bat, that one, I swear to Merlin."

Ted's grin wavered just a bit as he held out his hand, and Harry looked at it just long enough to make his point before he took it, then pulled Ted into a one-armed hug. 

"You won't be sorry, Harry. I swear."

Movement at the door to the dining room caught his eye, and Harry looked up to find Draco standing in the doorway, eyes watchful, James hovering anxiously just beyond his shoulder. 

"I believe you, Ted," he murmured. "It's okay."

The young man sagged in relief under Harry's arm, and Harry patted him on the back, suddenly aware of how afraid Ted had actually been. He almost regretted what he'd put him through that night; almost. 

The look of grateful relief on James' face warmed Harry's heart, but the slow smile that spread across Draco's reminded him that love, a love like they shared and apparently Teddy and James did, too, could overcome almost anything.

hdhdhdhdhd

"Feel better?" Draco asked, after they'd crawled into bed.

Harry curled into Draco's side and nodded. "I suppose I do. I guess I just needed to see them together. Not as kids, but as adults – living in their own place. It's pretty obvious, that Teddy loves James. But it was good to hear him say it all the same."

"You make a very good grown-up, Mr Potter. In case no one's told you lately." Draco pulled Harry closer. 

Sliding a leg between Draco's thighs, Harry turned to him. "Wait until I show you just how _grown-up_ I can be, Mr Malfoy."

Draco's response was lost in Harry's demanding kiss.

finis


End file.
